


Three Decades, Three Proposals

by PhoenixFalls



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Interracial Relationship, M/M, POV Character of Color, Proposals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 12:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5869123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixFalls/pseuds/PhoenixFalls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony never could just come out and ask for things. . .</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Decades, Three Proposals

**Author's Note:**

> Written for an anonymous prompt on tumblr!

Rhodey didn’t even notice the first one.

They had already agreed to get an apartment off-campus together for their senior year, had signed the lease agreement and rented the truck to transport the contents of their dorm room, had had three fights over what a fair share of the rent and utilities for Rhodey to pay was. They had picked up the keys and submitted change of address cards at the post office.

Tony unlocked the door and waved for Rhodey to take the first step inside; but just before Rhodey breached the threshold Tony grabbed him from behind and swung him up into a bridal carry.

Of course, at the time Rhodey still outweighed Tony by about 20 pounds, so they ended up on a heap on the floor just on the other side of the door, and Rhodey with a knock to the head on the door jamb as a bonus.

Rhodey noticed the second one, but he still didn’t quite get it.

It came in the form of new orders, to report to L.A. Air Force Base in a newly-created position of “Liaison to Stark Industries.” Now since the Air Force had been working with S.I. for longer than Rhodey had been alive, he felt fully justified in calling Tony up to rip into him.

Rhodey was perfectly capable of earning his promotions; he had never needed Tony to give them to him. It was an old fight, and it ended like their fights always ended – Rhodey’s temper burned hot then burned out, and he could never resist giving Tony exactly what he wanted.

The third one was so many years later that Rhodey didn’t connect it to the first two for more time than he was really willing to admit.

In his defense, he was a little busy, what with rise of HYDRA and the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the birth of his baby sister’s first daughter. So when he got the contract he glanced at it, did a double take, then made a mental note to check in with Pepper, see if something was up, if there were any signs that Tony’s behavior was getting… erratic again.

But then the contract appeared again, a week later, with the sections about the tax benefits and spousal privilege highlighted.

Tony had been suspiciously quiet lately – no 3am text rants, no phone calls in the middle of firefights. Just this contract, no snarky commentary and, shockingly, no indication that Tony had made it happen without waiting for Rhodey’s signature.

Rhodey took it to one of his JAG friends, who said the prenup was both solid and incredibly generous to Rhodey in the event of either divorce or death.

Rhodey might have gotten very, very drunk when it sank in that Tony was dead serious about this.

Then he arranged for a few days of leave, put on his dress blues under the armor, and took himself off to the tower in the middle of the night, because he could be an asshole sometimes too.

Tony was asleep for once, and Rhodey took great joy in stepping right up next to his bed and blaring an alarm to startle him awake. He came up spluttering and bleary, casting about the dark room looking for an intruder, and Rhodey took pity and brought up the lights slowly.

His heart was pounding, but he made sure he had his poker face locked down. When Tony’s eyes finally focused on him, he made his voice firm.

“No, I will not enter into a marriage of convenience with you, Tony.”

Tony looked gutted, and he shrank back against his headboard and pulled up his knees like he was sixteen again. Rhodey felt his palms sweating.

“You are the single most inconvenient person I have ever known. I have let you do a lot of things to me over the years – I let you make me liaison to your company, I let you make me a suit, I let you make me a goddamn superhero. But I’m not going to let you do this.”

Tony was clearly trying to pull one of his masks together and failing miserably. “No, Rhodey, of course not, that was a joke, I was drunk—“

Rhodey leaned onto the mattress and pushed himself into Tony’s space, making sure Tony was looking directly into his eyes.

“This is something _I_ am going to do to _you_ , for once.” Then he dropped to one knee and pulled out his granddad’s ring. “Will you marry me? Not for the tax break, not so I never have to testify against you again. Just because I love you, and you want to spend the rest of your life with me?”

Tony’s eyes grew very wide, and maybe a little wet. He uncurled slowly, clearly slow to trust it. Rhodey waited patiently.

Then he grabbed the ring from Rhodey’s hand and pushed it roughly onto the relevant finger.

“Well, only if you insist.” And he tumbled Rhodey into the bed on top of him.


End file.
